Cool as a cucumber

Cool as a cucumber? It's true ... the inside of a cucumber on the vine measures as much as 20 degrees cooler than the outside air on a warm day.

Are you cool? Don't we always feel that we need to look good in front of others to some extent? The older I get, the less I feel the need to impress other people, but I am a people person so I do care what people think of me. It seems that keeps many of us from being ministered to in church because we just don't show others what is going on inside us. When we do get brave enough to do so sometimes people shy away from us, not wanting to get too personal or deal with issues that are less than light-hearted. Oh, if you are really blessed you can connect with one or two people that you can open up to, but at church we all tend to put on a front. There seems to be a double-sided problem: most of us keep our problems buried and do not become transparent, and the other people at church want it that way because they have enough problems of their own. I have a challenge question for you and would love to hear your thoughts on the matter. How to we facilitate an atmosphere at church that is conducive to true ministry?I keep thinking about a song sung by Casting Crowns that expresses my thoughts better than I can.


Stained Glass Masquerade Lyrics
By:Casting Crowns


Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

*Chorus*
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Chorus x2

Well if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small